


Queen Mab Hath Been With You

by pansiesforthoughts



Series: pansiesforthoughts- February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [5]
Category: Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types, Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon Compliant, Modern Retelling, benvolio is a mum friend, hey romeo are you ok my guy?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23409241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pansiesforthoughts/pseuds/pansiesforthoughts
Summary: Written for the February Ficlet Challenge prompt 10: Modern AU.This is just a reworked draft of a scrapped idea I had for one of my year 9 English projects lmao.Act 1 scene 4 of Romeo and Juliet in a modern/urban setting. Romeo's having a crisis on the bus, Mercutio's rambling about dreams, and Benvolio is just trying to get them to the party in one piece (give the poor lad a break guys).
Series: pansiesforthoughts- February Ficlet Challenge 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621819
Kudos: 6
Collections: February Ficlet Challenge 2020





	Queen Mab Hath Been With You

The sun had almost set, painting the hazy sky in hues of pink and orange. Even though an icy wind blew viciously, three figures stood out in the street, one pacing, one bouncing up and down on the spot and one sitting hunched over on the pavement.

“Oh shit, we’re gonna be late.” Benvolio wrapped his jacket tighter around himself and peered down the street. “Hurry up bus!” He returned to his pacing as an attempt to keep himself warm.

“Calm down, it doesn’t matter if we are a bit late,” said Mercutio, giving his scarf to the shivering Benvolio. “Anyway, looks like this one wants to spend as little time at the party as possible. You good, Romeo?”

“Rosaline used to call me Romeo,” said Romeo miserably.

“Because that’s your goddamn name!” replied Mercutio. Romeo gave a depressed sigh in response.

“I’m sure you’ll have a good time. Maybe you’ll meet someone else.” Benvolio looked rather sorry for his cousin.

“I will never love anyone as much as I love Rosaline. She is more beautiful than the brightest star, kinder than a bed of daisies-”

“Look, we didn’t take you with us so we could listen to you whine about Rosaline all night. Try and have some fun,” interrupted Mercutio. “Our bus is here!” The scruffy green bus screeched to a halt in front of them, its bright headlights cutting through the darkness. Romeo pouted and did not move from where he sat in the middle of the footpath.

“Mercutio, do you have your bus pass?” asked Benvolio

“I forgot it,”

“How are you this irresponsible?” said Benvolio, exasperated. “You’re lucky I have a spare.”

“Guys do we really have to go to the party?” complained Romeo

“Do you think or dream about anything other than Rosaline? You need to do things other than cry over her,” said Mercutio

“Yeah I do, I had a dream last night about us going to this party.”

“Oh, then Queen Mab has been with you.” Mercutio leaned towards Romeo with a peculiar expression on his face, like he knew a crude secret.

“Mercutio, what are you talking about?” asked Romeo

“Queen Mab,” grinned Mercutio, “is the fairies’ midwife and she is so small that she’s hardly there. Queen Mab is the one who brings us our dreams.” He put his feet up in front of him.

“Merc, get your feet off the seat,” said Benvolio

“Sorry,” said Mercutio, twisting around and putting his legs in Benvolio’s lap instead. “As I was telling Romeo, Queen Mab makes us dream. She flies through lovers’ hearts and they dream about love and tender kisses, she flies through scholars’ brains and they dream of knowledge, she flies over adventurers and they dream about seeing the world, she flies over soldiers’ noses, and they dream of defeating their enemy and watching rivers of blood run red. You see, dreams only reflect the desires of the dreamer. They mean nothing but they still influence everything. Your dreams are ridiculous, simple, insignificant-”

“Quiet Mercutio, you’re talking nonsense,” said Romeo, cutting him off. “In my dream, I saw that going to this party will lead to terrible events. This is not some silly fairy story. Going out was a bad idea.”

“God you’re so dramatic,” said Mercutio, leaning back in his seat.

“It’ll be fine, Romeo,” added Benvolio, who was fiddling with the zip of his black jacket distractedly.

Romeo huffed and stared out the window. He knew that his friends just wanted to cheer him up but he didn’t particularly feel like cheering up. He knew how this night would play out. Mercutio and Benvolio would get terribly drunk and then run off without him, forcing him to get home alone. He’d probably be harassed or mugged or beaten up in an alleyway. That was the bad omen he saw in his dream, wasn’t it? 

The sun had since escaped below the horizon, and this side the city was shrouded in darkness that was only combatted by the artificial shine of streetlamps and silver-glowing moon. In the gloom, Romeo could almost feel fate creeping over his shoulder, whispering terrible thoughts in his ear. The wind blew bitterly, a constant reminder of how far away they were from summer, from warmth and light.


End file.
